Coupling for traction-engines.



No. 689,904. Patented Dec. 3!, I90l'.

F. PENN.

COUPLING FOR TRACTION ENGINES.

(Application filed May 10, 1901.)

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FRANK PENN, OF DELPHOS, KANSAS.

COUPLING FOR TRACTION-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,904, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed May 10, 1901. Serial No. 59,648. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK PENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delphos, in the county of Ottawa and State of Kansas,have invented a new and useful Coupling for Traction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in couplings for traction-engines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of coupling devices and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficicnt one designed particularly for coupling machines, implements, and the like to traction-engines and adapted to enable the operations of coupling and uncoupling to be rapidly and easily performed.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. is a front elevation.-

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a draw-head composed of top and bottom plates 2 and 3 and a substantially crescent-shaped block 4, interposed between the top and bottom plates and forming an abutment for a loop or eye 5 of a draft bar or tongue 6. The top and bottom plates extend in rear of the block 4 and are provided with perforations 7 for the reception of a couplingpin or other suitable device for securing them to a traction-engine. The crescent-shaped block, which is secured to the top and bottom plates by vertical fastening devices 8, presents a concave front face which conforms to the general configuration of the end of the loop or eye 5 of the draft beam or tongue 6.

The front portions of the top and bottom plates are provided with longitudinal slots or bifurcations 9 and 10, and they have eyes 11 and 12, located at opposite sides of the slots or bifurcations and arranged at the front or outer ends of the plates and receiving an upper transverse pivot or pin 18 and a lower rock-shaft 14. The transverse pivot passes through a vertical opening 15 of a couplingpin 16, adapted to engage the loop or eye of the tongue 6 and capable of being readily moved vertically to lift it out of such engagement. The opening 15 is preferably formed by an approximately L-shaped arm extending downward from the top of the pin and connected with the body portion of the same at a point between the ends thereof. The loop or eye extendsinto the longitudinal opening or space between the upper and lower plates, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, and the pin which is supported by the upper transverse pivot bears against the lower rock-shaft and forms a rigid device for coupling the tongue to the draw-head.

The transverse rock-shaft, which is provided at one end with a crank-handle 17, has a central depending arm 18, located in the slot or bifurcation of the bottom plate and curved to present a rear concave face, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The weight of the crank-handle holds the arm in a depending position in advance of the lower end of the pin, and when it is desired to raise the latter the rock-shaft is partially rotated by means of a crank-handle, which swings the arm 18 upward. The arm 18 lifts the pin until the lower end thereof is clear of the rockshaft. The vertical opening 15 permits this movement, and when the lower end of the pin is clear of the rock-shaft the said pin is adapted to swing forward to release the tongue. The upper plate is provided at the rear end of its slot or bifurcation with a projecting tongue, which is adapted to limit the upward and rearward swing of the pin to prevent the latter from being thrown entirely over by the tongue when the loop is introduced into the draw-head. When the loop or eye is introduced into the draw-head, it is adapted to swing the pin backward, which will automatically drop into engagement with the loop or eye.

It will be seen that the coupling is exceedin gly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and that it is easily operated to effect the operations of coupling and uncoupling.

What I claim is l. A coupling comprising a draw-head, a pin pivotally connected with the top of the draw-head and capable of a limited vertical movement, and a rock-shaft arranged at the bottom of the draw-head and forming a stop for the pin and provided with means for engaging the same, whereby the pinis lifted,

- substantially as described.

2. A coupling comprising a draw-head, a vertically movable swinging coupling pin provided with a vertical opening to permit the coupling-pin to move vertically, a transverse pivot arranged at the top of the draw-head and passing through the opening of the coupling pin, and a transverse rock-shaft arranged at the bottom of the draw-head and forming a stop for the coupling-pin and provided with an arm arranged to engage the lower end of the coupling-pin to lift the latter for releasing the link without swinging the coupling-pin backward or inward, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A coupling comprising a draw-head provided at its top and bottom with longitudinal slots, a swinging coupling-pin having a vertical opening, a transverse pivot arranged at the top of the draw-head and passing through the opening of the coupling-pin, and a transverse rock-shaft arranged at the bottom of the draw-head and forming a stop for the pin and provided with an intermediate arm arranged at the bottom longitudinal slot in position for engaging the lower end of the coupling-pin, and a handle arranged at one end of the shaft and forming a weight for holding the arm out of engagement with the pin, substantially as described.

4. A car-coupling comprising upper and lower plates spaced apart and provided with longitudinal slots, the upper plate being provided at the rear end of its longitudinal slot with a projecting tongue, a block arranged between the upper and lower plates, a pin pivotally connected with the top of the drawhead and capable of a limited vertical movement and adapted also to swing inward or rearward, the inward or rearward movement being limited by the said tongue, and a rockshaft arranged at the .bottom of the drawhead and forming a stop for the pin and provided with means for engaging the same, whereby the pin is lifted, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK PENN.

Witnesses WM. SMITH, J. E. Hum). 

